Kat Tidd
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Attorney Kat Tidd is committed to adding value to her clients' businesses. With over 25 years of experience, she handles cases in almost every area of franchise law:
- She negotiates and structures franchise and license arrangements at the national and international level.
- She has experience working with startups, as well as mature franchise systems.
- She has developed and managed legal departments for various companies in the franchise industry.
- She assists both franchisors and franchisees in resolving their disputes, including offering litigation representation.
- She reviews franchise documents and advises individuals who want to buy a franchise.
Kat represents clients in all aspects of franchise and business opportunity law. She currently advises small and medium businesses, franchisors and franchisees, dealers and entrepreneurs. Kat also serves as a consultant to other attorneys who have questions regarding franchise law.
Kat Tidd formed her own law firm in Dallas, Texas in 1994 emphasizing all aspects of franchise and business opportunity laws. She currently advises small and medium sized businesses, franchisors and franchisees, dealers, and entrepreneurs in general and serves as a consultant to other attorneys on franchise and business opportunity matters. Her practice emphasizes business, corporate, franchise and transactional law, including compliance, disclosure and franchise start-up related matters. Kat has worked in and with the franchise industry for more than 25 years. Kat Tidd served as vice president and general counsel of franchising, licensing and distribution companies for 12 years. She has negotiated and structured franchise and license arrangements at the U.S. and international levels, as well as working with both start-ups and mature franchise systems. She developed and managed legal departments for such companies as Taco Time International, The Plus Companies and Pizza Inn. Before relocating to Texas, she also maintained a limited private practice counseling business and franchise owners, prospective franchisees and start-up franchisors.
Kat is an active member of the American Bar Association's Forum on Franchising and the Antitrust section, has served on the Forum Nominating Committee, published in the Franchise Law Journal, been speaker on ethics at the annual meeting of the Forum on Franchising, the Dallas Bar Association, and on Continuing Legal Education programs, as well as a frequent speaker on the topic franchises and franchising in the DFW area and golf tournament chair for the Forum. She is also a member of the Texas and Oregon (inactive) state bars, past Chair of the Franchise Section of the Dallas Bar Association, and past co-chair of the International Business Committee of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce. She obtained her B.A. from the Honors College, University of Oregon and her J.D. from University of Oregon Law School.
"I've worked in and with franchising for more than 25 years - before, during, and after law school. 12 years as vice-president and general counsel of various franchisors, and now 15 years with my own firm. I counsel franchisors and franchisees, dealers, and entrepreneurs and working closely other attorneys (especially litigators) on franchise and business opportunity matters. My practice is 99% all things franchise [both franchisor and franchisee]: franchise disclosure and compliance, start-ups, transactions, franchise relationship and litigation/dispute resolution matters, and business opportunities."
Areas of Practice
- Franchises and Franchising
- Licensing
- Franchise Document Drafting (franchise disclosure document and franchise agreements)
- Compliance with Franchise and Business Opportunity Laws
- Franchise Sales Compliance
- FDD and Franchise Agreement reviews and evaluations
- Franchise Distribution Law
- Franchise Disputes
- International Franchising
- Trademark Management and Usage
- Dealer and Distributor
- Contract Negotiation
- Business Law
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Education
- University of Oregon School of Law, Eugene, Oregon
- J.D.
- University of Oregon, Honors College
- B.A.
Honors and Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America in Franchise Law (2005-2024)
- Best Law Firms in America, Franchise Law (2013-2024)
- Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year, Franchise Law (DFW) - 2022
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Dallas Bar Association, Franchise Section, Past Chair
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Member
- American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising, Member
- State Bar of Texas, Member, Franchising and Distribution Law Committee
- State Bar of Texas, Intellectual Property Section, Member
- Solo and Small Firm Task Force of the ABA Forum on Franchising, Chair
- North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Past Co-Chair, International Business Committee
- Former Vice President and General Counsel of various franchise companies
Languages
- French